Current Events > People be all like cooking at home is cheaper

(+) Yeah! (+)

But that's only true if you're cooking for eight or nine people, or if you're ok with eating the same thing for eight or nine consecutive meals, or if you're ok with freezing the most unfreezable of items.

and unlike batman fans they rarely factor in preptime

For example, I can get a ribeye and sides out for $25 but the cheapest I can find ribeye at the grocery store right now is $40.

Now that's for two gigantic-ass cuts but what am I gonna do with like 80% of that?

I'm ok with that.

If I can make 50$ last 10+ days, then I'm doing great

RetuenOfDevsman posted...

For example, I can get a ribeye and sides out for $25 but the cheapest I can find ribeye at the grocery store right now is $40.

Now that's for two gigantic-ass cuts but what am I gonna do with like 80% of that?

Freeze it in multiple single serve portions?

RetuenOfDevsman posted...

if you're ok with eating the same thing for eight or nine consecutive meals,

People should be more fine with doing this

bigblu89 posted...

Freeze it in multiple single serve portions?

Freezing and rethawing really affects the quality of the meat though, and it will eventually freezerburn too. Probably well before I would normally get around to eating five steaks. So best case I'm eating more expensive food more frequently in a bizarre reversal of the sunk cost fallacy.

RetuenOfDevsman posted...

For example, I can get a ribeye and sides out for $25 but the cheapest I can find ribeye at the grocery store right now is $40.

Now that's for two gigantic-ass cuts but what am I gonna do with like 80% of that?

Only buy one steak? Ribeye around here goes on sale for less than $10 a pound often. Then they have the manager specials where it's close to the expiration date for even less. You can easily have your own ribeye meal at home with a couple sides for less than $15.

People can buy whatever they want but cooking at home will always be way cheaper whether you're making 1 serving or 10.

RetuenOfDevsman posted...

For example, I can get a ribeye and sides out for $25 but the cheapest I can find ribeye at the grocery store right now is $40.

Now that's for two gigantic-ass cuts but what am I gonna do with like 80% of that?

In my fridge rn

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/c/cc59baa1.jpg
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/4/4a97cb36.jpg

RetuenOfDevsman posted...

Freezing and rethawing really affects the quality of the meat though, and it will eventually freezerburn too. Probably well before I would normally get around to eating five steaks. So best case I'm eating more expensive food more frequently in a bizarre reversal of the sunk cost fallacy.

Seems like you're going to have a counter for every valid point people will make, so yes...

Cooking for one, and not repeating a meal for months at at time is probably more expensive than eating out every day,

There. Happy?

LeoRavus posted...

Only buy one steak? Ribeye around here goes on sale for less than $10 a pound often. Then they have the manager specials where it's close to the expiration date for even less. You can easily have your own ribeye meal at home with a couple sides for less than $15.

People can buy whatever they want but cooking at home will always be way cheaper.

... Am I supposed to bring a box cutter and hack the package in half there in the store?

I made kickass enchiladas for my wife and I for dinner last night and leftovers for lunch today. It was about $25 and we would have been lucky to find that for both of us just for dinner. So half the price.

RetuenOfDevsman posted...

... Am I supposed to bring a box cutter and hack the package in half there in the store?

Oh, you're trolling. Or you've never gone grocery shopping in your life.

TheGoldenEel posted...

In my fridge rn

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/c/cc59baa1.jpg
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/4/4a97cb36.jpg

Nice, I wish I had that option.

RetuenOfDevsman posted...

Freezing and rethawing really affects the quality of the meat though, and it will eventually freezerburn too. Probably well before I would normally get around to eating five steaks. So best case I'm eating more expensive food more frequently in a bizarre reversal of the sunk cost fallacy.

Steak is like the one thing that's actually worth earing 5 days In a row though. Maybe just eat one, put one or two in the fridge for the next few days and 2 in the freezer for early to mid next week.(so you can have a couple days off if you need it.

You lose some quality like this, but it isn't going to be that bad if you know how to cook a good steak.

TheGoldenEel posted...

In my fridge rn

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/c/cc59baa1.jpg
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/4/4a97cb36.jpg

Aldi, right?

bigblu89 posted...

Cooking for one, and not repeating a meal for months at at time is probably more expensive than eating out every day,

Lol this. If this is what you mean by "eating out is cheaper than cooking at home", then sure. But it's also...not a realistic expectation to have

LeoRavus posted...

Oh, you're trolling. Or you've never gone grocery shopping in your life.

Well, what would you suggest?

when it was just me I could eat for a dollar or two a day

bsp77 posted...

Aldi, right?

Yep, we have been buying meat there recently as its gotten so expensive, and its pretty comparable quality to the regular grocery store

they also have lamb for like $6/lb and the Kroger store doesnt even carry lamb

bsp77 posted...

Aldi, right?

If you have a LIDL near you, the meats are just as cheap, and most cuts are decent quality.

You can buy one of those steaks for $8, a sweet potato for literally a dollar, and a can of peas and carrots for $1.15

And entire meal for $11 that would probably be in excess of $30 at a restaurant, and you'd have zero leftovers.

People say cooking at home is cheaper but fail to take into account that I don't know what I'm doing

TheGoldenEel posted...

Yep, we have been buying meat there recently as its gotten so expensive, and its pretty comparable quality to the regular grocery store

they also have lamb for like $6/lb and the Kroger store doesnt even carry lamb

Aldi is the best. Where I got all my enchilada ingredients yesterday

RetuenOfDevsman posted...

Well, what would you suggest?

If you're serious, what kind of grocery stores are you going to? Literally every one I've been in sells single steaks and you can ask them to cut any size steak you want in the meat section.

RetuenOfDevsman posted...

Well, what would you suggest?

dont tip and save even more money

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]

They do?

I guess I could ask.

DipDipDiver posted...

People say cooking at home is cheaper but fail to take into account that I don't know what I'm doing

It really is easy. Googling recipes exists. When you truly get good at cooking, you can tamper with the recipes, but beginners should just follow.

bsp77 posted...

It really is easy. Googling recipes exists. When you truly get good at cooking, you can tamper with the recipes, but beginners should just follow.

Yeah I truly cant believe people who say they cant cook

there are so many things that taste great and just entail dumping a bunch of shit into a pot

bsp77 posted...

It really is easy. Googling recipes exists. When you truly get good at cooking, you can tamper with the recipes, but beginners should just follow.

I was making fun of TC

i am happy eating cheap foods. i know how to prepare them myself. it's comparatively inexpensive

Refusing to eat the same meal a few times in a row is real privileged thinking. I'll meal prep on the weekends so I have a big batch of something to cover lunch during the work week.

DipDipDiver posted...

People say cooking at home is cheaper but fail to take into account that I don't know what I'm doing

Fortunately learning to cook isnt terribly difficult and there is a ton of free resources available to help you.

Nah. The husband and I cook for 2 and rarely have leftovers for more than 2 days, usually only 1. After that we toss whatever left. It's still cheaper than a single meal for us both if we go out.

DipDipDiver posted...

People say cooking at home is cheaper but fail to take into account that I don't know what I'm doing

I mean, that's also a consideration. But perhaps best saved for a different topic.

bigblu89 posted...

Freeze it in multiple single serve portions?

I did this to save money and pounds. But honestly that food isn't that great

DipDipDiver posted...

I was making fun of TC

My bad

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]


Some stores get weird about this. Might be a more YMMV sort of thing.

Still...just freeze the meat for later, it's not that big a deal.

cjsdowg posted...

I did this to save money and pounds. But honestly that food isn't that great

Really depends on what it is and how long you save it for.

Buying a dozen chicken legs, freezing in bags of 2, and prepping them every 4-5 days gets rid of them before the freezer ruins them.

Uh, no. It's true if you cook for 2 people as well. I'm going to list the ingredients I made for last night's Pasta Alla Norcina and show you:

Johnsonville spicy ground Italian sausage: ~$4.00
1lb of baby bella mushrooms: $3.50
1 whole white onion: $1
Heavy cream carton: $4
White wine: $6 (this was on clearance)
Pecorino romano cheese wedge: $3
1lb La Molissana rigatoni pasta: $3
Asorted spices: MAYBE $1.50

= $26. Yeah, that's a lot up front. But it served us two servings. So that's $13/person. Furthermore, there were at least 3 more servings of leftovers. So it's really more like, 26/5 = $5.20/serving. And this is me overestimating the prices on items slightly, AND I didn't use all of the item's contents (like the heavy cream carton and the cheese wedge). Further, this is one of the most expensive meals that I can make.

$5/serving is still hella cheaper than eating out nowadays. You just gotta know where to get your ingredients, how to portion right, and learn to like eating leftovers. The last part is the most important part: that's really how you save money.

TheGoldenEel posted...

Yeah I truly cant believe people who say they cant cook

there are so many things that taste great and just entail dumping a bunch of shit into a pot

Cooking is a skill . Like there are some songs on the guitar that you can play with one string. That doesn't mean you can play.

cjsdowg posted...

Cooking is a skill . Like there are some songs on the guitar that you can play with one string. That doesn't mean you can play.

Cooking really well is a skill but just making adequate meals is unbelievably easy. Not at all comparable to playing a guitar

RetuenOfDevsman posted...

For example, I can get a ribeye and sides out for $25 but the cheapest I can find ribeye at the grocery store right now is $40.

Now that's for two gigantic-ass cuts but what am I gonna do with like 80% of that?

Usually people aren't talking about ribeye when they talk about cooking at home lol.

If I buy the store brands (cheaper), I can spend $15 on ingredients and make lunch for myself for a full 5 days. So about $3 per day that way. It adds up compared to eating out constantly.

https://www.southernliving.com/food/whats-for-supper/freezer-friendly-recipes

There are lots of recipes at this link you can cook that freeze/thaw/reheat very well. Store them in plastic bags and reusable deli containers with labels and prep dates. With a little planning you can have a different home cooked meal every day.

SaikyoStyle posted...

https://www.southernliving.com/food/whats-for-supper/freezer-friendly-recipes

There are lots of recipes at this link you can cook that freeze/thaw/reheat very well. Store them in plastic bags and reusable deli containers with labels and prep dates. With a little planning you can have a different home cooked meal every day.

Noted.

Wait, do people really live in areas where they have to buy a package of steaks and this isn't an option?

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/b/b2292390.jpg

That's just a google image and the prices are way higher than I pay but yeah.

I think it's pretty obvious that TC's parameters seems to be that eating out is cheaper when...

You're cooking for one
-and-
You want to eat something different every night
-and-
You don't want to repeat meals for multiple weeks
-and-
You're not willing to freeze ingredients
-and-
You're not willing to eat leftovers

i got a 16 pound turkey for $16 by looking at the reduced section at it was delicious and lasted for weeks

TheGoldenEel posted...

Yeah I truly cant believe people who say they cant cook

there are so many things that taste great and just entail dumping a bunch of shit into a pot

I lived with a guy who burned a pack of ramen.

Twice.

I love this frugal spending side of CE. We need more threads like this in these trying times.

Anyways, the trick isnt eh exams meal 8 or 9 times. The trick is get 4 main courses, 4 sides and alternate between those In rotation. 16 different meal options.

That's basically a version of what I do, because im a pretty picky eater.